Motor boat installation



Jan. 12, 1932. .1. w. HARVEY MOTOR BOAT INSTALLATION Filed Aug. 10, 1951 Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES JAMES WILLARD HARVEY, OF WINTHROP, MAINE moron oar INSTALLATION Application filed August 10, 1931. Serial No. 556,069.

My invention relates particularly to installations embodying motors of the so-called outboard type mounted within the boat and in which the propeller housing and propeller are movable in a casing such as set forth in my Patent 1,786,997. The motor of such constructions is carried by a frame supported in a casing and provided with a bottom plate which closes the bottom of the easing'when the motor is in operation. The

motor and propeller are adapted tobe retracted by hand or automatically.

One object of my present invention is to provide improved means forinsuring the automatic lifting of the propeller shaft and propeller when the boat is run on the beach or when some obstruction is met which might tend to damage the propeller or its housing.

Another object is to provide means for aiding in the lifting or tilting of the motor.

Another object is to provide a guard or lifting device which can be readily installed.

In its preferred form the invention contemplates the use of a casing secured in the bottom of the boat and which casing is closed at the bottom with the exception of a comparatively small opening which is normally closed by a plate forming the bottom of the motor frame. The propeller housing is carried by or supported on this plate and the motor frame is connected to the'casing by one ,or more hinged arms so that the motor can'be tilted forwardly while the propeller is being raised through the bottom opening. A guard member or skeg ishinged to the bottom of the casing and provided with a spring. which coacts with the arm to lift it.

This arm is carried by a fitting secured to the. front end of the casing at the rear end of the keel. v

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view and side elevation of an installation embodying one form of the improvements, of my invention.

Fig. 2'is a plan view of the casing showing the guard in the dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view and section showing the guard member.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on a smaller scale showing a modification.

The casing has a side wall 5 and a bottom flange 6 secured to the bottom 7 of the boat. The bottom 8 of the casing is closed except at 9 where an opening is provided which is normally closed by a plate 10. A gasket 11 is preferably provided between the flange of the plate 10 and the adjacent edge or seat in the bottom of the casing.

The motor 12 may be of any suitable type for driving the propeller 13. The housing 14 for the propeller shaft gear mechanism and so forth, may be of any suitable type secured to the bottom plate 10 in any suitable manner. The lower part of the housing 14 might be cast integrally with the bottom plate 10 or formed separately and suitably securedto it.

An upright member or post 15 serves as a part of the motor supporting frame which is secured to the bottom plate 10 in any suitable manner. The cooling water supply discharge and the motor exhaust may be taken care of in any suitable manner, either through thehousing 14 or by separate pipes as is customary in outboard motor constructions. The bottom plate 10 is preferably provided with suction drains 10.90, on opposite sides, one of which can be used for draining the casing whenthe boat is in motion, and the other of which can be connected by a pipe to a suction head for draining the boat outside of the casing, as set forth in my application #550,303 filed July 13, 1931.

To enable the propeller to be retracted into the casing for inspection, repair and for safety purposes, I preferably provide some form of hinged connection between the motor supporting frame and the casing. In the form shown in the drawings, two arms such as 16 are hinged at their forward ends to lugs 17 which are integral with the bottom of the casing. The rear ends of these arms are hinged to the motor frame at 18. It will be obvious therefore that when the motor is lifted the point 18 must swing about the center of the bearing in the lugs 17. With. the larger sized motors I prefer to provide additional guiding means in the form of two arms 19 which are hinged at their front ends at 20 to lugs integral with the inner wall of lowed to tilt still further after the arm 19 en-- gages the side wall 5 of the casing.

The guard device includes an arm'25'which in hinged on the pin 26 which is supported in the block 27. This block is preferably formed separate from. the. bottom ofv the" casing and secured in place a number of screws or bolts28near the front edge of the casing. .A spring 29- is providedwhich presses against a shoulder 3'0. atone sideof thehinge pin 26 oftlie guard arm 25.". This springmay' be conveniently housed in a tube 31- screwed into the block 27'. This tube 31 may here movable. and adjustable so asto facilitate replacement of the spring and to'permit adjustment of thepressure ofthe spring to provide ai greatersor lesslifting power to the guard arm 25. Thetrear endof the guard arm is provided with a cup-like'recess 32'which looselyengages the front end 33 of the. propellerhousing; This guardarm' is pref erably streamlined in cross sectionrsoas to afforda minimum resistance during passage throughsthe water.

lVhen the motor. lifted the guard-arm 25 follows the propeller. housing'under: pres- 7 sure of the. spring; 29 until the guard arm strikes the bottom 8 of the casing where it is held 'by the spring pressure while the motor maybelifte'd'still higher free ofther guard Preferably-the-boati is provided with keels '35 forward; of the casing which keel adds to the stability of the boatin: turning. The blockr27 is-moun'ted againstlthezendof this keel section.- When' the motor is lifted andithe guardisiup it will" thus beseen that the guard armis in direct alignment with the keel so'thatit is protected'by the keel. I

In" the form shown the boat is provided with lateral keell'sections 36 running longitu'dinally and substantially. parallel with the main keel but in 1 rear thereof and alongside of the motor casing; Thesekeel sections not only serve'to "protect: the bottom of the. boat and the bottom of the. casing, but they assist lIleSllitblllZlHg. tliehoat. so as to facilitate its turning'at high speed without danger of I CapSlZHlg These keel: sections also serve to protectthei'guard arm when the propeller is retracted"into-thei casing: If desired, a

groove37 may he provided in the bottom of the casing's'o that the 'guardwhen up will be flush with thebottomaof'thecasing.

d When the boat is running: the guard arm 25 serves as a protection which precedes the propeller housing and propeller and serves to automatically lift the propeller and the motor when the guard armv meets an obstruction, thus retracting the propeller and avoiding damage. This action is greatl facilitated by the method of mounting the motor because the'inertia of the heavy upper part of the motor when the boat strikes an obstruction tends to continue the forward movement ofthe'motor as the boat is slowed up. The inertia thus tends to move the motor in the same direction that the guard arm tends tofmove-it. This makes it possible to employ a comparatively small and light guard arm and yet accomplish the necessary lifting vaction promptly without injurywand with-a minimum of shock.

When the motor is to be again loweredan d putin-to operation, the housing tip 33-automatically engages the cup 32iso that=there sistance of the spring. 29 act's. as'a'buffer. Tlheyielding.gasket l1 alsoaetsv as abufter in the seating movement. 1 f

.yThis yi'eldinggasket also servesto materially reducevibration and noise so that the motor can run at high speeds .quietly and without any unpleasant vibration;

By proportioning; the parts so that the-cup at the'end of. the guard arm engages the center of the-lower endiof th'e'propeller housing beneath itsaxis of rotation, the g-uardcan bewapplied itoqmotori constructions in which steering is effected by rotation: of the propellerhousingon a'vertical axis.- I

Inth-e larger typesof motors it maybe desirable to'employ asseparate rudder. such as for steering. It shouldbe understood, however, that by properly designing the low erend of the arm 25' it may be madeto co act' with the propeller housing of motors which are used for steerin 7 Although a preformed casing 5 isa most convenient means for installing. the motor unit in a boat, the casing might-be formed as a part iof the. boat :itself as indicatcd inFi i p In sucha case the floorplate 8 is secured in the bottom of the boat and has an opening 9 for the propeller." The sides of the boat and transoms or bulkheadssuch as 39'fore and aftthe opening 9would constitute the vertical walls of the casing. Sucha construction can beinstalled'ineither metallic or wooden boats.

.In case of the breakage or absence of the spring. the guard arm 25 willof course serve to lift the-motor when the arm-strikes an obstruction with sufficient force. 7

if. desired. the cup might in some cases be loosely connected-tothe propeller housing'so as to rise-with the motor unit regardless of the presence ofthe spring. I The spring is highly desirable howeverasit assists'in lifting the motorfunit and'holds the guard arm up out of the way when the propeller is withdrawn.

I claim:

1. A motor boat installation comprising a casing having an opening in the rear part of its floor, a tilting power unit supported in the casing and provided with a propeller housing movable through said opening, a guard arm hinged to the bottom of the casing and having a cup at its rear end for receiving a part of the propeller housing a spring member pressing against said guard arm to lift its rear end against the floor of the casing, said power unit being movable independently of said guard arm.

2. In a motor boat construction, a casing having an opening in its bottom, a tilting power unit having a propeller housing projecting through said opening, means for supporting the power unit in the casing so as to permit the upper end to be tilted forwardly and to retract the propeller rearwardly through said opening, and a spring pressed guard arm hinged to the bottom of the easing and detachably engaging said propeller housing. l

3. In a motor boat construction, a casing having an opening in its rear end, a power unit having a propeller housing project ng through said opening, means for supporting the power unit in the casing so as to permit it to be lifted to retract the propeller through saidopening, a guard arm pivoted to the bottom of the casing and having its rear end detachably engaging said propeller housing, h a spring pressing downwardly on a shoulder 11 of said arm in front of its pivot and a tubular housing for the spring secured to the inside of the casing.

4. A motor boat installation comprising a casing having a floor plate with an opening, a motor unit movably supported in the opening with a propeller housing extending downwardly therethrough, a block secured to the bottom of the casing at the front end thereof, a guard arm pivoted to said block and extending downwardly and rearwardly to lift said propeller housing and a spr ng device within the casing for pressing against the guard arm in front of its pivot.

5. A motor boat installation comprising a casing having a floor plate with an opening, a motor unit tiltingly supported in the opening with a propeller housing extending downwardly therethrough, a block separately formed and secured to the bottom of the casing at the front end thereof, and a guard arm hinged to said block and extending downwardly and rearwardly to engage said propeller housing and lift the same.

i 6. A motor boat installation comprising a casing having an opening in the bottom of the'casing, a power unit tiltingly mounted in the casing and having a propeller housing adapted to project through said openlng, a

guard arm hinged at its front end to the bottom of the front of the casing and adapted at its rear end to engage said propeller housing, a spring engaging said guard arm to lift the rear end of the same, and a removable housing for said spring.

7. A motor boat installation comprising a casing having an opening in the bottom of the casing, a power unit tiltingly mounted in the casing and having a propeller housing adapted to project through said opening, a guard arm pivotally supported at its front end and adapted at its rear end to engage said propeller housing, a spring engaging said guard arm in front of the pivot to lift the rear end of the same, and a removable and adjustable housing for said spring.

8. A motor boat installation comprising a casing secured to the bottom of the boat, a keel projecting downwardly from the bottom of the boat forward of the casing, a springlifted guard arm hinged to the bottom of the casing in line with said keel, said casing having an opening in its rear end and a power unit tiltingly supported in said casing and having a propeller housing adapted to move downwardly through said opening and adapted to automatically engage the rear end of said guard arm when dropped into place, said guard arm being adapted to assist in lifting said power unit and tilting the propeller housing into the casing.

9. A motor boat installation comprising a. casing secured in the bottom of the boat and aving an opening in the rear part of its oor, a power unit supported in the casing and provided with a propeller housing extending through said opening, a guard arm hinged to the bottom of the casing and having a rear end for engaging and lifting the propeller housing, and a longitudinal keel section on each side of the guard arm.

10. In a motor boat installation comprising a casing secured to the bottom of the boat, a keel projecting downwardly from the bottom of the boat forward of the casing, a guard arm hinged to the bottom of the casing in line with said keel, relatively short stabilizing keels alongside of the casing, said casing having an opening in its rear end and a power unit tiltingly supported in said casing and having a propeller housing adapted to extend downwardly through said opening and adapted to engage the rear end of said guard arm, said guard arm being adapted to lift said power unit and tilt the propeller housing into the casing.

11. As an article of manufacture, a motor boat construction comprising a casing adapted to be mounted in the bottom of a boat and having a floor plate with an opening in its rear end, a motor unit and propeller housing having a hinged connection with the inside of the casing near the front end and having a propeller adapted to swing through said opening and a bottom plate to close said opening,ga-rguard arm hinged at itsfrontend to thebottom of the casingbelow the hinged; connection of 1 the motor unit and" propeller 5 housing and having. its rear end located-be neath a part of the propellenhousing for lifting the same when theguard arm meets an obstruction. o 7

JAMES WILLARD HARVEY 

